Repurcussions of Bad Decisions
by ImaSupernaturalCSI
Summary: When Spencer Reid almost breaks down your door, it's never a good sign. SPOILER ALERT for 6x02. Two new chapters added 9/30. Because sometimes bad decisions can be good...
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters of "Criminal Minds"-they belong to Jeff Davis and CBS.**

Her door banged open, and Erin Strauss looked up to see the scrawny figure of Spencer Reid standing in her doorway. His tie was a little looser than usual, and she could see his Converse were untied, and he hadn't bothered to correct that.

None of that concerned her, because that was how Dr. Reid was all the time. What concerned her was 1) the fact that he had nearly kicked her door open, and 2) the look on his face.

Spencer Reid...was _pissed_.

"You made her leave!"

His voice sounded higher than usual, and she wondered briefly if he was a) on something or b) had had too much coffee-again.

"I am not going to defend my decision to you, Dr. Reid," Strauss said, sitting down at her desk and putting her glasses up on her nose. To be honest, she felt a little safer with the desk between them. She'd never seen him like this.

"She didn't want to go!" Reid said, taking a step forward. His posture was rigid, and Erin didn't need to be a profiler to tell that he was upset. "JJ liked her job here. She was _good_ at her job here. You broke apart our team…you broke apart our _family_!" He slammed his hands down on the top of her desk, sending a picture frame flying., and sending her decaf mocha latte sloshing over the side of the cup. "But more importantly? She was my _friend_. Because of your bureaucratic…_crap_, I lost a friend! I don't know if you've noticed but those are kind of hard to come by-especially in the FBI."

"Irregardless, the decision has been made," Erin said, trying not to let the nerves show through in her voice. If anyone could get away with murder in their office, it'd be Reid. Nobody'd suspect the geeky agent who could barely pass his firearms qual. "The decision is final."

Reid contemplated that. Then he leaned over the desk, got right up in her face.

Erin Strauss was starting to sweat.

"You know what Strauss? You can take your decision and _shove_ it!" With that, Dr. Spencer Reid stood up and strode out of her office. He slammed the door on his way out, sending Erin's nameplate clattering to the hallway floor.

It was about that time that Erin Strauss gave serious consideration to finding a new job.

* * *

On his way down the hall, Reid practically bowled Derek Morgan over. "Hey, kid…" Morgan said, grasping Reid by the arm. Reid looked up at him, and Morgan sized his colleague up in two seconds. He chuckled. "How did it go?"

Reid looked at him, and Morgan could see the spark in his eyes. "I feel pretty damn good," Reid replied.

Morgan grinned at him and ruffled his hair. "Good. Because now it's my turn." He didn't even bother knocking on Strauss's door...he just kicked it in.

* * *

Reid returned to the bullpen, where Rossi, Prentiss and Garcia were standing around Reid's desk. "Where's Morgan?" Prentiss asked.

"He's headed for Strauss's office," Reid replied, sitting down at his desk with a little more force than usual.

The three of them exchanged looks. "We'd better get down there," Rossi said, and casually got up from Reid's desk, before taking off at a run for Strauss's office.

"To keep Morgan from doing something he'll regret?" Emily asked.

Garcia was hot on Rossi's heels as she yelled back, "No, because if he's gonna do something he's gonna regret….then I want to _help_!"


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note****: I was reminded by a reviewer, that the decision for JJ to take off was made over Erin's head. And this piece felt sort of unfinished. So here's a couple more chapters.**

**Chapter 2**

Hotch stepped into Erin Strauss's office a few hours later. He glanced around, unsure of what he might find. Morgan had seemed _really_ happy when he'd left her office, and Garcia had been singing all day, which was a sure indication she was in a good mood. Reid was spouting statistics on the _Star Wars_ universe again, which was better than the mopey teenager he'd been all day. And Rossi and Emily had both calmed down considerably. He could pretty much see steam coming from their ears when he'd passed them earlier.

"Erin?" he asked carefully, as not to spook the section chief.

Her head tentatively popped up from under her desk. "Oh, it's only you," she said, relieved.

He glanced around her office. Things were strewn everywhere. A chair was embedded in the wall, courtesy of Morgan…or maybe Garcia…hell, it could've even been Rossi, he was still pretty spry for an old man. "I'm sorry about my team," he apologized. "They took JJ leaving pretty hard."

"I didn't have a choice, Hotch," Erin stuttered. "It was over my head…."

"I know," Hotch replied quietly. "But the team is angry, confused and frustrated." He shook his head. "I'm lucky I know none of them is psychologically disturbed or we'd _really_ have a problem." He adjusted one of Strauss's framed accolades so it hung straight, covering up what appeared to be an Emily Prentiss-sized hole in the wall. "They'll adjust, Erin. And once they calm down and get the _whole_ story, which they're trained to do, so them flying off the handle is a little unusual." He frowned. "Well, for everybody but Morgan, anyway." He helped Erin set her photos back up. "You're not the bad guy, Erin," he told her. "You're the personification of the bureaucracy, and you're right down the hall. If Rossi could get his hands on someone at the DoD, I'm sure he'd do it. But you were here…"

"I wish she hadn't gone, Hotch," Erin burst out, the toll of the afternoon taking it's toll.

"Yeah," Hotch said. "Me either."


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: Final chapter, a moment at home with JJ, Will and Henry. Because Will LaMontagne does not get enough love, and he and JJ are so cute together.**

**Chapter 3**

"They did _what_?" JJ couldn't help but laugh. "I mean, I could see Morgan doing it…a chair through the wall?" She grinned at Will, who was laying on his back on the couch, flying Henry through the air. "Reid did _what_? She started laughing and had to set the phone down for a moment to compose herself. When she could breathe again, there were tears in her eyes. "That's sweet. Unncessary, overreacting, but…sweet." She shrugged. "I guess I can't blame them." She smiled, and flicked a tear from her eye. A moment later, Will was at her side, Henry in his arms as he kissed the top of her head and held her. "Yeah, Hotch, that'd be great, a going-away thing would be fun. Somewhere Henry can come, and Jack." She smiled. "I'd like that. Don't let Garcia plan it…no, Hotch, I don't want there to be any Chippendale dancers or Pin the Horns on Strauss games-"

Will chuckled softly as he bounced Henry on his hip.

"Maybe we could target shoot some DoD PR manuals for fun," JJ suggested. "Reid did pass his last qual, right? Barely?" She grinned. "All right Hotch, well, good luck putting Strauss's office back in order. Yeah, you guys let me know. I'll talk to you later." She hung up the phone and leaned against her husband's chest. "I'm going to miss them, Will," she said, the tears coming back.

"This new job is a great opportunity," Will drawled. "And you're going to be amazing."

JJ considered that. "You're sweet. A liar, but you're sweet."

Will set Henry down and their son toddled into the living room, babbling aimlessly. "Baby, you were great at your job at the BAU," he told her, wrapping his arms around her waist. "But baby, didn't you feel like you were sort of stale? Like you weren't really going anywhere? You'd hit the ceiling."

"I know," JJ admitted. She looked at Will. "Was I settling?"

"You were," he agreed. "And even though you didn't want to go, maybe it was a positive push for you." He hugged her. "You're amazing, and you deserve so much more than the same old, same old." He looked in on Henry, who was enthralled with the evening news. _His mother's child_. "Look at it this way…Erin Strauss saw how amazing you were, and wanted to push you to rise above it. It's nothing personal against the team; it's a better opportunity for you."

JJ turned around. "I married a smart man, you know that?"

He glanced around. "Where is he? I'll jambalaya his ass."

She laughed as she hit him in the chest. "I love you."

"Now, I need to go call Garcia," Will said, letting go of her.

JJ frowned. "Why?"

"Because there will _not_ be Chipppendales at this party." But he couldn't resist tossing over his shoulder, "But maybe Pin the Horns would be fun…."


End file.
